CHAPTER XXV
BACK HOME
Betty Nelson's chums stared at her. So did Mr. Blackford. Betty herself,with flushed cheeks and flashing eyes, looked at them all in turn. Heridea had stimulated her.
"What--how--I don't see--" stammered Mr. Blackford. "If you--"
"It's this way!" cried Betty, all enthusiasm. "You know you can transfermoney by telegraph in a very short time--it only takes a few minutes todo it--really it's quicker than an airship," and she smiled at Mr.Blackford.
"That's so," he admitted. "I see now."
"I'll have my father telegraph the five hundred dollars to me atJudgeville," explained Betty. "Then I can give it to you, and you cantelegraph it to your business man in New York. It is sure to reachthere before midnight, and you can take up your option, if that is theproper term."
"It is--very proper," said Mr. Blackford. "I believe you have the rightidea, Miss Nelson. I should have thought of that myself, but that showsI am really not a good business man."
"Now let's hurry on to town," proceeded Betty. "We haven't any toomuch time."
It was rather an astonished telegraph operator who, a little later, wasconfronted by four pretty girls, a man who looked as if he had been in ashipwreck, and a much-flustered lady. The latter was Betty's cousin, atwhose house the girls had stopped. It was necessary for the recipient ofthe money to be identified, and this Betty's cousin, who knew theoperator, agreed to look after.
There was a little delay, but not much, and soon Mr. Blackford was in aposition to take up his option. A local bank, where the telegraph concerndid business, paid over the five hundred in cash, and four hundred ofthis was at once sent on to New York, by telegraph.
"I hope it reaches my man," said Mr. Blackford. "I have told him towire me here."
A little later word was received that the transaction had beensuccessfully carried out. Mr. Blackford could now get control ofthe business.
"And it's all due to you young ladies!" he said, gratefully. "I don'tknow how to thank you. You are entitled to a reward--"
"Don't you dare mention it!" cried Betty,
"Well, some day I'll pay you back for all you did for me!" he exclaimed,warmly. "I won't forget. And now that I have some money to spare, I'mgoing to get a new suit of clothes."
He said good-bye to the girls, promising to see them again some time, andthen he left, having made arrangements to go on to New York and finish uphis business affairs.
"Well, now that it is all over, won't you come on to the house and havesupper?" said Betty's cousin, as they came out of the telegraph office."I must say, you girls know how to do things."
"Oh, you can always trust Betty for that," said Mollie.
"It just did itself," declared Betty. "Everything seemed to work out ofits own accord from the time we found the five hundred dollar bill."
"But you helped a lot," insisted Amy.
"Indeed she did," added Grace.
"Well, our walking tour will soon be over," Betty said as they neared hercousin's house. "We'll be home to-morrow. We've had lots of fun, and Ithink it has done us all good. We'll soon be home."
"But not without a long walk," said Grace, with a sigh. "I wonder what weshall do next? We must keep out of doors."
"We have a long vacation before us--all summer," said Amy. "I do wish wecould spend it together."
"Maybe we can," said Betty. "We'll see."
And how the four chums enjoyed the vacation that was opening may belearned by reading the next volume of this series, which will be entitled"The Outdoor Girls at Rainbow Lake; Or, The Stirring Cruise of the MotorBoat _Gem._"
The stay of the girls at the home of Betty's cousin was most enjoyable.They remained two nights, instead of one, sending word of the change oftheir plans to their parents. Then, early in the morning, they startedfor home on the last stage of their tour.
"Twenty-two miles!" sighed Grace, as they set out. "Oh, dear!"
But they were not destined to walk all the way. About five miles fromtown they saw a big touring car approaching, and as it neared them theybeheld Will Ford and his chum Frank in it.
"Hurray!" cried Grace's brother.
"Welcome to our city!" added Frank. "Get in and we'll take you homein style."
"Oh, you boys!" cried Betty, but she and the others got in. Off theystarted, all of them seemingly talking at once, and in a short time theyarrived at Deepdale. They attracted considerable attention as they passedthrough the town in the car Will and Frank had hired to honor the membersof the Camping and Tramping Club.
"But it rather spoiled our record, I think," said Betty. "We were towalk all the way."
"Oh, we walked enough," declared Grace. "I did, anyhow," and she glancedat her shoes.
"But it was fun!" exclaimed Amy.
"Glorious!" cried Mollie.
A little later the four tourists were warmly welcomed at their respectivehomes, later meeting for a general jollification at Mollie's house.
"Oh, you dears!" cried Betty, trying to caress the twins, Paul and Dodo,both at once. "And we saw the dearest little lost girl. Shall I tell youabout her?"
"Dive us tum tandy fust," said Dodo, fastening her big eyes on Grace. "Us'ikes tandy--don't us, Paul?"
"Us do," was the gurgling answer, and Grace brought out her confections.
And, now that the four girls are safely at home again, we will takeleave of them.
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